A prisoner of Zahedan’s Ward 7, Mirshekar had been in prison for six years on a rape charge. Per protocol for prisoners whose execution is imminent, he was reportedly transferred to solitary confinement on the evening of Monday, October 15th.

By carrying out this hanging in silence, authorities — particularly the Judiciary — demonstrate a continued pattern of obfuscation on the topic of prisoner sentencing and executions, in spite of their responsibilities of informing the public.

According to Amnesty International’s annual report, Iran ranks first in the world in executions per capita. On the World Day against the Death Penalty (October 10th), the Center of Statistics at Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) published its annual report, indicating that at least 256 citizens were executed in Iran between October 10, 2017, and October 9, 2018, 15 of which were public hangings. Sixty-eight percent of executions, referred to as “secret executions,” are not announced by the state or Judiciary.

HRANA News Agency – On Thursday, Aug. 21, 2013, the total number of inmates hanged in six prisons throughout Iran reached 27, but the number might even be higher. Official reports indicate that 27 prisoners were hanged on Thursday in Arak, Mashhad, Urmia, Karaj, Hendijan and Ardabil. Among those hanged were five prisoners who were executed at the Central Prison in Arak for a total amount of five kg of narcotics. Meanwhile, 11 inmates were executed secretly in Karaj and five in Urmia.